The Gift of Love
by Shadow's Firebird
Summary: Of course, Amaterasu is worried when she and Issun are given the request to capture her dear friend Waka to be given as a birthday gift to a sweet princess, but to her dismay, the princess has less than pure intentions for the prophet. However, is it just concern for her friend's safety compelling our lupine hero, or also jealousy? Maybe even love? M for possible future smut/rape.
1. Capture Me

**I hope that my deep love of this game is properly expressed in my writing. ^u^**

**Sorry about the weirdly long chapters. This, like Malevolent Bliss, is a fic that started out as one long blob but was condensed into chapters to make it easier to upload and read. This is meant to take place in some time period shortly after the end of the first game and before the beginning of the second.**

**I hope you guys like this one! :D**

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"Please remind me again what we're doing. I seem to have lost interest halfway through your explanation."

Amaterasu rolled her eyes at her companion's short attention span, flicking her tail a bit testily. "We've been asked by the Fieran king to aid his daughter, the princess, in a quest to find her ideal birthday gift. Her father warned that she is a little demanding, but so long as we cooperate and are kind to her, she shouldn't be a problem."

Issun shuddered. "It's weird when you're irritated. Your voice seems to rattle my bones."

As a god, Amaterasu was not normally granted the ability to talk with normal mortals. But ever since she had mastered the fabled thirteen brush techniques, her powers had been growing in the strangest and most fantastic ways. She could now converse with Issun through speech, rather than barks and rolls of the head, and speak as a normal person would. However her words had a somewhat interesting effect. Her voice did not come from her mouth at all. It seemed to reverberate around her, and anyone listening, resounding both inside and outside their minds. To those that weren't used to it, it was a little unnerving. Even Issun was still a bit uncomfortable.

"Then please, don't repeat questions more than necessary. Or my voice will be a bit more than irritated." Amaterasu turned her head to him, smiling in an almost devilish way. She meant no harm by it, but unfortunately, wolves can be a bit more intimidating than they intend.

Issun pat her head shakily, but soon regained his composure. "You got it, furball. Just wake me up when we get there."

Amaterasu nodded, pausing for a moment to breathe. The air around them was serene and peaceful, the scent of flowers wafting through it. The wolf inhaled deeply, sighing with a pure, innocent joy. A powerful wave of enthusiasm was building up inside the god's lithe body. She curled back up on her haunches, her rump up in the air and her tail straight out behind her. Then, all at once, she broke into a sprint, tearing through the chill morning grass. Her dampening fur glimmered in the sunlight, rendering her a sleek silver blur bolting across the landscape. Issun, completely used to this by now, paid it little mind and simply kept his head down to avoid the building turbulence. They shot across the meadow at breakneck speeds, nearing their destination in a ludicrously brief amount of time. But such was to be expected of the sun god, the mother to all and the most respected among the Celestials. She was the fastest thing on land, and in a full, joyous sprint through springy grass and soaring flower petals, nothing could stop her.

Unless a very specific person inconveniently appeared in her direct line of travel.

A man on stilt-like red shoes materialized before her, giving her virtually no time to stop. Unable to slow down enough, she crashed into the man headlong, sending them and Issun rolling into the dewy brush. A sharp yelp escaped her as she came to a sudden stop, her back colliding with something warm and soft. Behind her, she heard coughing, for the man she'd slammed into no longer had any wind.

"Whew!" He wheezed through his words, struggling for breath. "Still as strong as ever, ma chérie! You nearly broke my spine!"

At his delighted laugh, Issun groaned, collecting himself somewhere nearby. "Damn it, you stupid fruitcake. Why can't you warn us when you're gonna jump out of nowhere like that? I can hardly feel my legs!"

The man chuckled, sitting up. "Aw, come now! Don't tell me a burly thing like you can't take a little tumble!"

Amaterasu, though somewhat pleased to see the man, agreed with her insect-like friend. "You should be more careful, Waka. You could have been hurt too."

"But am I? No, I am the picture of health! And I get a chance to chat with my old friends!" He ruffled her snowy white head, grinning. "Look at you! I've never seen this coat so shiny! Out for a jog through the meadow, or were you headed somewhere?"

"To Fiera," Issun blurted, hopping back over to them. "We got a request from the princess. Urgent business, very important, so we'll just be on our way now."

Waka plucked him off the ground, pouting. "But who will I play with if not you two? Surely you can spare a few minutes for one little game?"

"Haven't you got any other friends?" The sprite snapped, wriggling in his grip.

The man simply laughed. "None that can put up a fight quite like you! I want this to be a fun game!"

Amaterasu smiled, snatching Issun back from his grasp. "We'd like to play, but we really must get going. Perhaps another time."

Waka sighed, grinning and getting to his feet. "If you insist on being a stick in the mud, that's fine. Just call me if you ever need a pal, eh, ma chérie? Good luck on your journey! Au revoir!"

He disappeared in a flash of shimmering stars, each shining rainbows of color as they drifted to the ground. Issun snorted, crossing his arms as he reclaimed his place on top of Amaterasu's head.

"We'll call you if we ever need live bait." He shook his head, sighing. "Dumb ol' half-baked prophet."

Amaterasu laughed, stretching a bit to crack her joints. "He means no harm. He's just a little eccentric."

Issun shifted on her head. "I don't know how that lunatic ever built the Ark of Yamato. He seems like the type to have trouble tying his own shoes."

"He wears sandals," The wolf pointed out.

"And I'm surprised he's not falling over all the time! He walks on those pencil-thin stilts and doesn't even tremble! It kind of pisses me off!" The sprite nuzzled into the fur near his companion's ear. "Not something to worry about now, though. I just want to get this job done with so we can go back home."

Amaterasu nodded, breaking off into another sprint. She dashed across the landscape, rather deep in thought. It had been quite a while since her journey to the Ark of Yamato, though the memories of the gory, tormenting battles she went through were engraved into her mind. All that pain and suffering…she shook it from her head, not wanting to dwell on such unpleasant things. What she wanted to focus on was where she was now, in this beautiful prospering meadow with the sunlight on her flank and her humorous little friend atop her head. After all, the pain was over now. With her defeat of Yami, she had ushered in a new era of peace. She and Issun, and Waka, and everyone in Nippon who believed in her, they were all responsible for the bliss that was washing over their beloved country. And with no more confrontation for the time being, Amaterasu was eager to bask in it.

Before long, the bright red gates of Fiera became clear over the horizon. They cast a scarlet reflection across the damp grass, making it almost appear to glow. Issun turned a weary eye up from where he had been napping, yawning at the sight.

"So are we here? Cool," He said groggily, sitting up.

Amaterasu grinned. "Not far now. The princess awaits you."

Issun sighed happily, starting to drift off a bit. "Ah, yes. Let's just hope she's not a spoiled brat, and that her gardens produce the largest and juiciest fruits!"

The wolf snickered, darting up the path to the kingdom's entrance. At either side of the magnificent wooden door, a large, burly guard was standing, a spear in both of their tightly clenched fists. The one on the right perked up at the sudden arrival of a large white wolf. He jabbed his comrade in the stomach with the butt of his weapon, effectively waking him from the stupor he had been in. The man on the left blubbered comically, shaking the sleep out of his face. He and the other stood tall as Amaterasu approached, watching her slow to a delicate, graceful stop before them.

"State your name and business, please," The right guard huffed.

"This here is the Sun God Amaterasu!" Issun blurted. "And I'm Issun, wandering artist, sword master and this furball's personal missionary! The Fieran king has requested our assistance in finding his daughter a birthday gift!"

A snort came from the guard on the left as he crossed his arms. "That sounds a little far-fetched. Why don't you prove it? Let me see the letter the king sent to you."

Issun lifted the Spatial Distortion Fan off of his wolf friend's back, opening it. Within the fan was an organized collection of pockets, which you could reach into from the front but couldn't even see from the back. He hopped down to the pavement and set it in front of Amaterasu so she could use her mouth to pluck out the document. However, as she dipped into the appropriate pocket, she couldn't feel the letter they'd been sent.

"I'm sure it's in here. I just had it…" The god mumbled, shifting the contents of the fan.

Just as she was about to pull her snout out of the pocket, the doors behind the guards burst open, resulting in both men being smacked in the face with the wooden surface. They grunted in unison, stumbling away from their posts. From the entrance that had been revealed stepped a slender young woman, her hands on her hips and an expression of deep annoyance on her face.

"What do you think you're doing, you clods?" She shouted, glaring at the guards. "You were told that a special wolf would be coming to the kingdom today! Look at the marks on its face! Can't you tell a special wolf from a normal one? These two are our guests!"

"W-we're so sorry, Princess Hitsukana!" The guards yelped, scurrying back to their designated watch posts.

Issun grinned, hopping up and down on top of Amaterasu's head. "Thank goodness you're here, beautiful! We were worried that we wouldn't be able to help you find your birthday gift!"

The woman squealed. "Ooh, how cute! The wolf has a little buggy on its head! Hi there, little bug!" She waved her finger at Issun, oblivious to his slight offense at her words.

The Poncle cleared his throat, laughing with a bit of a forced inflection. "My name's Issun, milady. And this here is Gift-Hunter Ammy! Or Amaterasu, if you like that better."

"Okay. Issun and Ammy. I like it!" Hitsukana giggled, stepping closer. "Come with me, I need to bring you to the palace!"

As she turned around, Issun let out the large wave of drool that he had been fighting back. Though not pleased about having his slobber on her head, Amaterasu could understand why he was so flustered. Princess Hitsukana was quite cute, with a bright face and a good figure, but what was most obviously the cause of Issun's melting brain was the fact that her kimono was very low cut, exposing her somewhat massive breasts. Not quite Rao, but definitely stacked.

"Stop drooling. You always complain when I slobber on you," Amaterasu uttered, intentionally a bit loud.

"What was that?" The princess was wearing a ditzy look, smiling blankly.

"U-uh, nothing!" Issun leaned down by the wolf's ear, hissing darkly. "Don't ruin this for me, Ammy! She already thinks I'm cute, and she's got boobs _and_ money!"

Amaterasu rolled her eyes. "Oh, like you have a chance. Royals like this are usually put into arranged marriages." It was astonishing that the god was able to keep her voice soft, as it still reverberated around them. They were a bit worried that Hitsukana could hear her.

"Then I'll have to prove to her father that I'm a man worth marrying!" He shouted in a whisper, pumping his fist. "And then we'll have a lovely wedding on the beach, and instead of kissing the bride I can just give her a good valley snuggle!" He chuckled to himself, rubbing his hands together with anticipation.

"Hush. If Hitsukana hears any of this she won't trust us not to hurt her. Or at least, she won't trust you." Amaterasu sighed, shaking her head slightly.

Fortunately though, it seemed that the princess wasn't paying the faintest bit of attention to their quiet discussion. She just bounced along happily, leading the pair up the streets of the city. Even from the gates, they could see where they were being led. In the middle of town, at the end of the path they were on, a huge and magnificent palace stood proudly above the tiny buildings around it. It was covered in extravagant gold and silver, with what were probably real jewel-encrusted birds standing as gargoyles above the doors. It emanated wealthy living and lavish spoiling. Amaterasu even felt a twinge of jealousy at the gorgeous building that the princess so blandly introduced them to.

"This is the palace that my papa had built for us," She stated, waving her hand nonchalantly. "It's for when we're here during the summer. We rule over Fiera, but we like to move around the kingdom so we can experience all the culture here. Neat, huh?"

Issun looked as though he may faint. "Beautiful! But just to be expected! A lovely lady such as yourself doesn't deserve anything less than this!"

Hitsukana snorted. "It's hardly big enough just for Mama and Papa. I only get three rooms to myself."

A small twitch was forming in the side of Amaterasu's cheek. She whispered to Issun, "Something tells me that we're going to have more than a little trouble finding a gift for this girl."

"I'll be the gift!" Issun spluttered, swooning back onto the wolf's neck.

The princess led them in through the sweeping doors of the palace, unfazed at the shock the pair behind her expressed. Amaterasu had to pause, gaping around at the eye-popping amount of rare jewels and metals that graced the room. Everything was coated in gold, silver, platinum and various other glimmering substances, and edged with every kind of expensive jewel that the two had ever seen. The brightly shining colors made the wolf's eyes water a bit.

"So are we going up to your…ah…rooms?" The god asked a bit shakily.

Hitsukana nodded. "Yup. Right up these stairs. Walk on the carpet, okay, wolfy? Your feet might slip on the marble."

Amaterasu grumbled to herself as she leapt up onto the third step. "He told you my name…"

They climbed up the stairs, the princess having to dash to keep up with the god's long bounds. She was panting softly once they had reached the top, leaning down to grip her knee. Issun fought back a nosebleed as her cleavage was further exposed.

"Whew! Okay, this way. Down the hall here," Hitsukana instructed, turning left on the lavish green carpet that stretched across the center of the floor.

Amaterasu followed, staring around them as they continued to pass more expensive and valuable-looking things. A large ornate painting hung between two wooden doors, depicting a ship sailing the waves amidst a lovely sunset. Upon closer inspection, she could see the name of a very prestigious artist etched along the bottom. She sighed to herself, a bit envious due to the rather light money purse that they carried with them.

The princess stopped in front of a huge pink door, clapping with delight. "Here we are, you two! Come in, make yourself at home! But please don't shed on my bed, wolfy!"

"Ammy," The wolf blurted politely. "If it's not too much trouble, your highness."

"Oh, yes, sorry! I'm a little out of it today!" The girl giggled, stepping into her room. This too was just as extravagant and elegant as the rest of the house. A huge canopy bed sat in the middle of a sea of ivory carpet, both made of a fine silk. A ludicrous number of bureaus and wardrobes were spread along the walls, alongside artful tables, plush couches and varying artifacts, all seeming to resemble cute animals or flowers. Hitsukana plopped down on her bed, waiting for the two to take a seat somewhere.

Issun grinned as his companion simply sat on the floor, his arms crossed proudly. "So tell us, your angelic-ness! What is it that you want for your birthday?"

Hitsukana smiled with her hands folded pleasantly in her lap. "A trap."

"A…trap?" Amaterasu wondered.

"Yes, a trap." At this, the princess' voice seemed to darken. "I need you two to help me catch a man that I continue to run into on my travels outside the kingdom. I never know when I'll see him, and frankly, it's getting on my nerves."

"So that's what you want for your birthday? You just want this guy captured, right?" Issun jabbed himself in the chest with his thumb. "Then just leave it to us! Ammy and I can catch any bad guy you've got, no matter who it is or how powerful they are!"

"Has he been harassing you, Princess?" The god asked, tilting her head.

"Oh! Um, not really." Hitsukana blushed, grinning wide. "He's annoying though. Very annoying. And I'd like to catch him so I won't have to guess when I'll see him next."

"Annoying? We know someone like that…" Issun muttered, looking away.

The princess clapped joyfully. "Yes, I know you know him! That's why I had Papa ask you two to help me capture him! I've seen him with you out in the forest before, so I know that of anyone, you could help me find him!"

Amaterasu felt a creeping sense of suspicion. "Do you know his name?"

"Um…I may have heard it before, but I can't remember it now."

"Can you describe the guy? How ugly is he?" Issun inquired.

Hitsukana fidgeted, giggling sheepishly like an excited child. "He's not one bit ugly, little bug! He's actually very handsome, but so annoying and eccentric! He says such funny things! It's delightful!"

"Wait, if you like him, why are we capturing him?" The Poncle said dubiously, putting his hands on his hips in vexation.

"Like I said, because I never know when he'll pop up again! I hate having to wait until we run into each other in the woods, because it's not commonly that it happens. I want you to capture him so I can visit him whenever I like!"

"So…you want him to be your pet?" Amaterasu looked exasperated, her ears twitching slightly.

The princess shrugged. "More like a captive guest, I like to think. Oh, don't you think he'll love it here? I can give him his very own room and everything!"

The wolf shook her head. "Your highness, people don't tend to – "

"Ahem!" Issun shouted, gripping the point of the god's ear. He leaned into it, whispering sharply. "Ammy, you know who she's talking about, right?"

"Yes, probably Waka," Amaterasu murmured back.

"So if she has him living here, he'll be out of our hair! And we can probably visit this beautiful place and the even more beautiful princess any time we want! It's perfect!"

The wolf's eyes widened. "But Is – "

"It's a brilliant idea, Princess! We'll get right to work on setting a trap for your new guest!" Issun laughed heartily, crossing his arms over his chest.

Hitsukana leapt up, clapping once again. "Oh, good! That's excellent!" She placed her clasped hands beneath her chin, giggling. "My twentieth birthday is tomorrow, so I expect you to have your friend here by then, okay?"

"Pfft!" Issun hopped forward, leaping up onto the girl's shoulder. "We don't need that long! We'll have him here by tonight! In fact, give us a few hours, it'll be no trouble!"

The princess squealed loudly. "Oh thank you, thank you so much, little bug!"

Issun had to fight back a shriek of his own as she pulled him to her bosom, hugging him tightly and laughing giddily. His tiny face was nearly crushed within her cleavage, his hat the only thing keeping her breasts away. Amaterasu cleared her throat, causing the girl to release her companion.

"We'll be back shortly, your highness," The wolf said, somewhat amused. "C'mon Issun."

Her jaws closed around the shakily laughing Poncle, making sure that the blood flowing from his nose was directed towards the ground. Hitsukana didn't seem to mind a bit that the carpet was being stained, and waved them off with a cheerful grin on her face. The god trotted out of the room and down the stairs, carrying Issun's partially conscious form until they had stepped outside the doors.

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**Please review! I'm always really happy to hear from you guys, even if it's total gibberish! :D**


	2. Discover Me

**Okay, the transitions are awkward, but like I said, this was initially like one big chapter, so please try to bear with me. ^^;**

**Also, please forgive my terrible ad-libbed French. XD**

**Enjoy! :D**

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"Man, I'd like to get to know her!" Issun squeaked hoarsely, climbing back onto his friend's head. "All we have to do is kidnap Waka and she'll be all over me!"

"Yes, but how are we going to do that? And in just a few hours?" Amaterasu asked testily, leering up at Issun.

He lay back against her fur, crossing his legs. "Easy. Just call him, Ammy! He said he'd come if we ever needed someone to play with!"

"But won't he know we're setting a trap for him if we don't have a game ready?"

At this, he paused, considering. "We can pretend that we're playing follow the leader or something and have him walk into a net!"

"He could cut through a net. He has two swords." The wolf replied.

"Then push him into a lake?" Issun suggested.

"He can swim. And walk on water."

"Light him on fire?"

"We're supposed to catch him, not maim him."

"Um…um…damn it!" Issun gripped his hair. "Well can't we restrain him somehow? Leading him into the palace isn't enough, he'd just run away!"

"If we can restrain his arms, we could keep him from using his swords. But there's no way we could keep him still long enough to do that," Amaterasu explained, sighing.

Suddenly, the Poncle jumped up. "Got it! You could use your Mist attack, couldn't you? That'd slow him down!"

"For a short time, yes," The god agreed. "But how would we restrain him?"

Issun, disgruntled, flopped back down, staring up at the sky. "Rope? But you can't tie, you haven't got thumbs. Maybe we could use glue or…wait…hey, do you see that?"

"What?" Amaterasu looked around, blinking. "Where is it?"

"Above us, look!"

The wolf tilted her head back, searching the air above them for whatever her friend had pointed out. Nothing seemed of use to them that she could see. She growled a bit, growing frustrated.

"I don't see anything."

"No, over here, furball!" Issun jumped down from her head, dashing over to her left side. "Look this way. Up above us!"

She followed him, looking up again. This time, she spotted what he had pointed out. A large pink flower hovered in the air above a nearby tree, a collection of stretchy vines hanging a short distance below it. Her eyes widened.

"Do you think Greensprout could be used to tie knots?" She wondered.

"Hell, it's worth a try! Come on, take out your brush and drag a vine down here. Use it on that tree."

A large paintbrush materialized above the wolf's head, flying through the air to touch the ink on its tip to the flower in the sky. The vines below it glowed a soft green, following the brush as it moved away from them. Amaterasu led the brush with her mind, causing it to draw a spiral around the trunk of the tree. In the blink of an eye, the vines had done the same, twisting around the rugged bark until it was completely bound in thick, rubber-like greenery. A strong knot formed at the base of the bindings, causing Issun to cheer.

"Yes, this is perfect!" He cackled to himself, rubbing his hands together again. "Excellent! We'll have that fruitcake bound and gagged in no time!"

Amaterasu raised an eyebrow. "Who said anything about gagging him?"

Issun shrugged. "I don't know, it sounded like a good idea. Keep him from using any more stupid French words or cheesy puns."

"But Hitsukana seems to like his French, and his puns."

"I don't need your input, furball," Issun replied snippily, crossing his arms. "I for one just want to capture the idiot. Then we can trade him to the princess and she'll think I'm a total stud! It's a brilliant plan, no?"

The god sighed, shaking her head. "Whatever you say. We'll see how well that works out for you."

"You're damn right we will!" Issun shouted, standing proudly atop her nose. "I, Issun, the magnificent wandering artist, am going to get some serious booby action by the end of the day! I swear it!"

His laughter echoed through the city around them, seeming to overtake the sounds of people chatting amongst themselves and animals barking and squawking. Amaterasu rolled her eyes once again, exasperated but amused.

"Alright then. How should we go about doing this?"

Issun patted her head. "That's easy. Just call him."

"Call him?" The wolf blinked. "Will he be able to hear me from wherever he is?"

"Oh, I think so. Your voice echoes pretty far," Issun assured her, laying back and crossing his arms behind his head. "Have at it, Ammy. I'll watch the show from here."

_'Well, here goes,'_ Amaterasu thought, taking in a deep breath. She squared her shoulders, tilted back her head, and howled into the sky. "Waaakaaaa! Come here! We want to play!"

Though the noise echoed for what seemed like miles, no response was given. Issun grumbled, sitting up.

"Try again."

The wolf obliged. "Waaakaaaa! Hey, come on out! Where are you?"

With their only reply being the confused stares of nearby citizens, Issun became immediately frustrated.

"Damn it!" He huffed. "That liar! He said he'd come when we called!"

Amaterasu thought for a moment. "Well maybe he can't hear us from here. We could get closer to him if we knew where he was."

"He's usually in a forest somewhere. Probably in Agata or something." Issun scratched his chin contemplatively. "Should we go to another side of the city?"

The god sat for a moment, dwelling within her mind. "Wait, didn't Hitsukana say something relating to this? Like, where she met Waka. He was never in the city, he was always outside it. In the forest."

Issun nodded. "Well we saw Waka in Sei-an City, so we know he has no problem going in public. He even drove that huge tacky airship over the Commoner's Quarters. Do you think he's not allowed in Fiera for some reason?"

"I don't know. It would certainly complicate getting him into the palace," Amaterasu muttered. "But you make a good point. Let's try leaving the city first and we'll see if we have better luck."

"You got it, Ammy. Just lead the way," Issun replied, lazily sprawling back out in her fur.

The wolf trotted past the numerous shops and kiosks, smiling at merchants but keeping focused as best she could. As soon as they began to near the front gates, something suddenly occurred to her. She stopped, thumping her tail on the ground to get Issun's attention.

"What is it?" The Poncle sat up, lifting his hat a bit.

"If Waka's out there, how are we supposed to get the vine around him? It's too far away."

Issun blinked, crossing his arms. "Aren't there any more flowers?"

Amaterasu cast her gaze skyward, scanning the air above them for anything else bearing vines. "No. I think that's the closest one."

"Shit. That's a problem," Issun agreed, plopping onto his back again. "I guess you'll just have to get him into town."

"Play tag?" The wolf suggested.

Her companion grinned. "Yes. Just try your best to outrun him. That fruit can't exactly teleport, but he can jump mighty far."

"I remember," Amaterasu chuckled. "I just have to be able to dodge quick enough. It shouldn't be a problem."

Issun laughed, ruffling a small patch of her fur. "That's the spirit! Go get him!"

The god barked happily, her calm walk breaking out into a dash. Within seconds, the city, the guards and even the gate were swept behind them. Her paws tore at the ground as she built speed, pumping herself up for the impending chase. Though she knew she was in the middle of what could be considered business, Amaterasu did like to play. And tag, especially with someone as crafty as Waka, could prove to be quite challenging. And fun.

"Right here?" She asked, stopping near the edge of the trees.

"Go a little farther," Her friend urged. "Hitsu-can-a said _in_ the forest."

Amaterasu blinked. "'Can-a'?"

"What? Don't tell me you didn't notice those huge things bouncing all up in your business!" Issun pouted. "I think it's a suiting nickname."

"Just don't call her that to her face. She might step on you," The wolf snickered.

He shrugged. "That's why I'm saying it to you and not her."

The trees thickened around them as they made their way into the wilderness. Birds chirped from every direction, jeering and calling to each other through the peaceful air. Spiders skittered across tree trunks, and insects of every kind sought shelter in the brush, or the occasional toppled log. As they stepped through a layer of freshly fallen leaves and springy woodland grass, Amaterasu sighed affably. A perfect place for tag. She inhaled deeply, curling back on her haunches and lifting her muzzle to the leafy canopy overhead.

"Waaaaakaaaaa!"

To their surprise, no sound responded to her call besides the somewhat frightened chattering of birds and squirrels.

"What gives? He said he'd be here!" Issun bellowed, kicking his minute feet

A giggle wove its way around a large tree nearby. "But I _am_ here!"

High, soft notes echoed from the flute in his hands as the man played it. He stepped casually into sight, casting music into the near silence to herald his entrance. A grin spread across his face as the instrument was lowered from his lips.

"You called for me, ma chérie?"

Amaterasu smiled, getting down onto her front paws and sticking her rear up in her best doggy manner. "We want to play!"

Waka clapped, bouncing a bit on his stilts. "Excellent! You couldn't have picked a better time! I was just getting done with some work and felt like I could use a break. This is a pleasant surprise!"

Issun hid the evil smirk that was forming on his tiny face. "Oh, we're full of surprises today, pretty boy! Ammy here wants to play tag!"

"Oh, tré magnifique!" The man grinned wide, stretching a bit as he spoke. "So who will do the chasing? I, or you?"

Ammy gave him a playful bark before jumping on him, pinning him back to the ground. "You're it!"

She tore off like a bullet, dodging trees and rocks and anything that got in her way. Before Waka even had a chance to sit up, she was already halfway out of the forest. He laughed, dusting himself off.

"Ah, feisty, eh, ma chérie?" He chuckled, repositioning himself on his thin stilts. "I see you're serious then! In that case, én garde!"

The two ripped through the foliage, quickly becoming engrossed in their high-speed game. Neither were of any sort of mortal species, instantly surpassing any velocity at which a regular human or wolf could run. Their surroundings became a blur of green and brown, with flecks of white from the sunlight overhead. Amaterasu panted slightly, her muscles working with a gloriously refreshing effort. And to her delight, she could see that Waka was only a few bounds behind. He had abandoned his usual trick of showering sparks and casting an image of himself, to make it look as if he had disappeared, and had resorted to dashing and jumping along the uneven ground on his scarlet stilts. Rocks and logs were not a challenge, but they were somewhat of a nuisance. If he landed on the wrong edge of an oddly shaped one, he would stumble, causing him to lose a few precious yards. But Waka prided himself on precision. He'd be able to catch Ammy on stilts with no problem.

Around them, the forest scenery was thinning, quickly opening up into a bright, flowery plain. A winding dirt path led up the hill they popped out on, leading to the gates of Fiera not too far off. Amaterasu tore in that direction as fast as she could, desperate to pick up speed. Her superior maneuverability made the obstacle course of the woods ideal for her, but not in this big open field. Waka had less in his way, less to trip on, and a larger range through which he could leap. If she wasn't going absolutely full speed, he'd be on her in seconds.

"Almost there, furball!" Issun cried, clinging to the fur on her neck. "Good thing, too! Your sweat is making your neck hard to hold onto!"

Wordlessly, the wolf banked a hard left, turning onto the path that led up into the city. Behind her, Waka faltered, now unsure how much this game was worth. He knew better than to pass through the Fieran gates, especially with the princess' approaching birthday. But this was a game; a game he rarely got to play, and refused to be beaten at. It wouldn't hurt to just go in a few hundred yards, right? He'd tag Ammy, turn around and bolt back out before any royalty recognized him. Inhaling sharply, he passed over the threshold, he and his god friend shocking the posted guards with their swiftness. They hadn't even seen them clearly enough to know what they were. Waka bounced along the stone streets, taking advantage of the hard surface to propel his jumps forward. He was gaining, just seconds away, and Ammy was growing tired. Almost there! Just a little more…!

"Now!" Issun suddenly shouted.

Before Waka could blink, two horizontal lines appeared in the air in front of him, drawn with divine ink. And just as the ink faded, he slowed dramatically. He was suspended in midair, halfway through a landing just inches from Ammy's face. He struggled to move closer as best as he could, but his body wouldn't slug forward any faster. With an almost regretful look on her face, she raised her paintbrush into the sky, touching the tip to a flower above their heads. A long, rubbery vine followed her painted line down to him, twisting and wrapping around his thin body. It tied into itself at the bottom of a series of tight coils, binding him. As the Mist technique faded, he fell to the ground, his legs too closely wrapped to use for jumping. And he knew immediately that this was a very bad sign. Even if it was just a game, being tied up in the middle of Fiera was not good for him at all.

"H-hey, what are you doing?" He asked nervously. "This isn't fun anymore, ma chérie! Let me go!"

"I'm sorry, Waka, but this is what we were ordered to do," Amaterasu replied, somewhat ashamedly.

The blonde wiggled frantically, unable to even stand up. "What orders? What are you going to do with me?"

Issun cackled as Ammy bit into the vines, tossing the bundle up in the air. Waka landed on her back with a heavy thump, wheezing loudly as the wind was once again knocked out of him. "You're the princess' gift, pretty boy! I think you'll make a great prisoner! Ah ha hah ha!"

Waka's eyes went wide, his mouth wilting into a pitiful look of fear. "Wh…what? You can't be serious!"

"C'mon, we promised we'd be quick about it," Amaterasu blurted, trotting off towards the palace. She was somewhat worried for the strange man's safety, or at least his happiness, since he'd soon become the princess' captive. What were her plans for him? Would he be a source of entertainment, to tell jokes and play his flute so she would be amused? Would he become a servant, his elegant looks adding even more flair to the extravagant dwelling? She sped up a bit, hoping to get him to Hitsukana before her doubts caused her to change her mind.

"Please, you have to let me go!" Waka pleaded.

Issun stretched out on Ammy's head. "No can do, buddy. Just sit tight, we'll untie ya soon."

"You don't understand, I'm not even supposed to be in the city!" He whimpered. "Something terrible will happen if you don't let me go!"

"Like what?" Issun snorted.

Waka tried to reply, but the wolf's sudden bounding up the front stairs caused his stomach to smack against her back again, and he burst into a sharp coughing fit. He was barely able to regain his wind by the time they were at the threshold of the Fieran palace. Both apprehensive and curious of what would happen once inside, Amaterasu bowed her head, pushing the magnificent wooden doors open. As she stepped onto the green carpet, she looked around, trying hard to shut out the sounds of Waka's sudden, near-desperate begging. No one was anywhere in the entrance hall. She turned her muzzle towards the nearest staircase and shouted into the distance.

"Your highness!" She called. "We've got your gift! Please come down here!"

A high-pitched squeal came from down the hall, followed by a rapid padding of eager footsteps. Hitsukana dashed out from around the corner and stopped, not bothering to adjust her partially disheveled dress. At the sight of Waka she shrieked, running down the stairs as fast as she could. She wrapped her arms around his vine-covered form and stood him up - first taking off his shoes and setting them on the floor - and hugged him tightly.

"Oh fantastic! This is just what I wanted!" She shrilled, nuzzling into his chest. Giggling, she stood up, her head stopping just below his nose. "What's your name, cutie pie?"

He swallowed hard, afraid to meet her eye. "W…Waka. Of the Moon Tribe."

Another loud squeal escaped the girl. "How lovely! That's a beautiful name!"

Issun cleared his throat rather loudly. "Um, Princess? We went to a whole lot of trouble to get you this. Isn't there some way you want to repay us?" He sounded rather anxious.

Hitsukana giggled. "Thank you _so_ much, buggy! I'm forever in your debt!"

She picked him up, kissing his cheek and hugging him tight. Issun babbled joyfully, drool and blood barely stemmed from spewing out of his face. Hitsukana placed him back on Amaterasu's head, pausing to scratch her ears.

"And thank _you, _doggy! You did a great job of carrying him here!"

Amaterasu blinked up at her, a tad worried. "So what will you do with him, Princess?"

"Y-yeah, I've been wondering that myself," Waka muttered.

Ignoring Ammy's question, the girl clapped her hands, a pair of armed guards instantly appearing behind her. She turned to them, grabbing Waka by the side and pulling him forward.

"Please take our honored guest to the Room of Petals," She instructed. Then with a wink, added, "For preparations."

The guards grabbed Waka's shoulders and feet, hoisting him over their heads. Wordlessly, they marched out of the room, carrying the disgruntled man with them. As the door shut behind them, Hitsukana turned to the pair before her again, smiling.

"It would be my great pleasure for the two of your to attend my birthday feast," She told them. "You're more than welcome to stay over the evening. We can even provide a room and food for you and everything! Do you want to? Please, please?"

Issun immediately nodded before Amaterasu could speak up. "Of course, Princess! Just show us to our beds!"

She cheered, clapping her hands with joy. "Okay, then come this way! You two will be staying in the East Wing, by the gardens!"

They followed her down one of the main hallways, once again gazing at the marvelous decorations that hung from the walls and ceiling, and littered the path on lovely little tables. A collection of doors appeared to their sides here and there, each made of a beautiful cherry wood with a gold-plated handle. They stopped in front of the last door on the left, adjacent to a pair of lovely glass doors that led out into a beautiful rose maze. Hitsukana turned the handle into their room, stepping inside. It was just as lavish as the rest of the palace, with sweeping indigo carpet and a large plushy bed in the center of the room. She giggled, gesturing for them to step inside.

"Make yourself at home!" She said happily, tucking a lock of chestnut hair behind her ear. "And feel free to look around the palace as much as you like! I owe you both so much!"

"Thank you, Princess," Amaterasu replied, hopping up onto the bed.

Issun grinned. "Are you sure you want Ammy on this nice mattress? She might shed all over it!"

Hitsukana chuckled, touching her lip. "I have servants to clean it up if it gets messy. Please, shed all you like!" She then backed out of the room, holding the door handle. "I've got to go help with preparations for tomorrow's party. Toodle-loo!"

The door shut with a soft thud, leaving Amaterasu and Issun alone in the extravagant guest room. The Poncle hopped down onto the floor, trotting along the carpet to look at the decorations more closely.

"Sure is nice of her to let us stay," He commented, running his hand along the foot of a thin metal table. "But I wish I could've slept in her room. It's a shame we'll only be here over night."

The god raised her head, her ears slightly droopy with worry. "I'm not sure I like this whole thing, Issun. What is she going to do with Waka? Why is he being taken to this 'Room of Petals', and for what preparations?"

"Who cares?" Issun sneered, hopping up onto the table. He picked up a piece of popery from a porcelain bowl, smelling it. "He can take care of himself. She'll probably just make him perform for her and then let him go."

"But she said she wanted him to be her captive guest. They're even calling him an honored man at this celebration. I don't like it. It seems fishy," Ammy pressed.

Issun heaved a sigh, putting the curl of papery material back in the bowl. "Fine. We can buzz around the palace and look for anything odd. But after that, can we please come back here and sleep? I'm getting tired from all this kidnapping."

The wolf stepped off the bed and approached him, allowing him to climb back up between her ears. Then she trotted over to the door and, using her teeth to turn the handle, headed down the hallway back to the entrance hall. It was deserted, as it had been when they first arrived. She looked around with interest.

"Which way did those guards take Waka?" She asked.

Issun shrugged. "Down the opposite hallway? I wasn't paying attention, I was busy recovering from a boob-attack."

Amaterasu walked along the hallway opposite them, peering at doors for any sign of the room she was searching for. Unlike the hall that held their room, this one had much more official looking doors with plaques on them, and that were spaced further apart. Signs bearing "Pool 1" and "Game Room" and "Kitchen 2" were noted, but no sign of a "Room of Petals". She wondered if this room was anywhere near here, or if it was even a room at all. At the end of the hallway she stopped, reaching a dead end. The path now lead both left and right, both halls holding no real evidence of where to go. Suddenly, Issun spoke up, pointing from atop Ammy's head.

"Look there, to the left. There's a few leaves on the floor," He blurted. "Weren't there leaves like that on the vines we used to tie up Waka?"

"Yeah, I think so," The god agreed, turning left. A pair of tiny green leaves stood out against the ruby carpet before her, almost like a clue in a mystery novel. She grinned, looking back at her friend. "Nice job, Issun."

"Hey, it's what I'm here for. You'd be totally lost without me." He stretched contentedly, lying back in her fur.

Amaterasu continued on, still reading the plaques along the doors. "Main Kitchen", "Storage Cupboard 3", "Pet supplies", "Blue Tea Room". Suddenly, she stopped, staring at a large white door with a silver plaque on it. Unlike the others, the text this bared was cursive, and exalted the elegance of the room it withheld.

"Here it is. 'Room of Petals'," She stated, staring up at it.

Issun looked around. "There's no one here. Should we go in?"

The wolf nodded. "Yeah. I'm too curious not to."

Her pearly teeth closed around the handle, tugging it down. The door was pushed open slowly as she stepped into the room, her eyes widening. She had stepped onto a path of lovely gray stone, bordered on either side by beautiful gardens of immaculately blooming flowers. Lilies and violets and pansies, roses and even sakura blossoms covered the ground and walls on long branches, curly ivy vines inching their way onto the ceiling. The room stretched fairly far, bearing only a straight stone path for them to walk on. At the end was a large raised pedestal, also made of stone, with water trickling down the sides into a shallow tub fountain below. More flowers enclosed the round concrete base, twisting the tips of roots into the running water. Innumerable pink petals covered the surface, the occasional stray drifting down to be washed to the edge of the stone structure. In the middle of the mound of petals, a figure was lying limply on its side, nearly glowing in the light of warm lamps overhead. An unconscious figure, with sheets of shimmering golden hair.

"Waka!" Amaterasu exclaimed.

She dashed up, rearing up on her back legs to get a closer look. Her paws pressed into the mess of pink and spread a bit into the water she stood in. Issun on her head hopped forward, standing closer to the motionless man on the stone.

"Dude, what happened to him?" He wondered. "Why's he here? And where the hell are his clothes?"

Indeed, Waka had been stripped bare, not even his flute on his person. His pale skin was hardly covered by the shards of flowers he lay in, his knee-length hair pooling around him in swirls. He looked fair and peaceful. Almost as if he were dead.

Ammy barked loudly, receiving no response. "Wake up, Waka! C'mon, get up!" She jumped around to his face, licking him. "Seriously, Waka! Get up! Get up!"

"What are you doing, wolfy?"

Behind them came a curious voice. The pair turned to see Hitsukana walking up to them, confused but not alarmed at their presence. Amaterasu growled on impulse, leering at her.

"What did you do to Waka?" She demanded.

The princess giggled, covering her mouth. "My men have simply given him a little dose of sleep and laid him here for me as I have asked. I wanted to view his body before he was cleaned and dressed up for tomorrow."

Issun now sounded indignant, standing up on Ammy's head. "What do you mean, Princess? You can't just stare at the guy while he's unconscious, that's invasive! And what's he getting all dressed up for tomorrow anyway?"

A smile spread across Hitsukana as she crossed her arms over her waist. Her voice was light and pleasant. "Tomorrow, at the stroke of midnight, we will be wed."

A very long pause followed this as the two digested her words. Issun was the first to speak up.

"What?" He shouted, gripping the sides of his hat. "That doesn't make any sense! You just met the guy! Why the hell would you want to marry him?"

"He his funny and strange," Hitsukana explained, striding up to them. She stepped lightly into the water, stopping beside the edge of the pedestal. "And exotic and rare and beautiful. So beautiful. I want him to be my husband."

She ran a pale hand from his shoulder down his side, slowing down a bit as she passed over his smooth thigh. A hint of a grin was present on her face, causing Ammy to blurt out.

"Just for his looks? Because he says weird things? That's no reason to marry someone!" She urged, turning to her. "And by force, even? What about the way he feels? What if he doesn't want to marry you?"

Hitsukana sighed, stroking Waka's soft chest. "That won't be an issue. He will want to marry me. I am a princess, after all."

"But Waka's a nutjob, he isn't swayed that easily!" Issun exclaimed. "If he doesn't want to marry you, he'll just run away!"

Her brown eyes were somewhat sharp as they met his tiny ones, sending a shiver up his spine. "Then he will be drugged continually until he has lost the will to leave me. I am the princess of Fiera. I get what I want." Then she glanced back at the blonde man on the pedestal, cupping his fair cheek. "And I want him."

Issun was blown back. He spluttered hoarsely, "You're a psycho! I can't believe I thought you were cute! We can't let you do this to Waka, even if he is a pain in the ass! Nobody deserves that!"

"Aww, come now, buggy," She purred, reaching for him. Her finger was met by the point of Issun's sword, drawing a minute amount of blood.

"Don't come any closer," He warned.

She winced, still smiling. "I think it's time you two went back to your room. I'd like to be alone with my fiancé."

They watched her hop up onto the pedestal, sitting just inches from Waka's head. Some of his cascading hair was trapped beneath her rear, but she paid it no mind. Her hand trailed up the silky blonde locks to his face, tracing his jaw and running soft fingertips along his throat.

Amaterasu growled. "We're taking Waka."

An almost snide giggle was the response. "I think not." She clapped her hands, turning her attention to the doorway. "Guards! Please take these two back to their room and do not let them out! They are trying to attack my darling Waka!"

Before they could blink at least ten armed guards bounded into the room. Three or four managed to lift Amaterasu off the ground, holding her thrashing form to their chests, while two held Issun's arms and legs to prevent him from swinging his sword. Clumsily, they lumbered out of the room, dragging their captives out the doorway. Just as the wooden barrier fell shut again, Ammy caught a glance at Hitsukana slipping her hand down Waka's back. A gruesome look of perverse glee spread across her once-sweet face as she gripped his rear, leering sideways at the retreating crowd.

XxXxXxXxXxX

**Awkward ending, I'm sorry, but I'd like to preserve the story's original format as much as I can. ^^;**

**Thanks so much for reading! Please review!**


	3. Study Me

**Sorry folks, I've been pretty preoccupied with school and life and college and stuff, so fanfiction has been kind of dancing out of my realm of thought.**

**Also, I started reading Homestuck, which ruthlessly kills human work ethic.**

**This initially was going to be a longer chapter, but the shift in tone near the middle would have been awkward without some kind of break, and I'm having writer's block, so I decided to put this up as it is.**

**Enjoy! :D**

The door shut abruptly, the resulting bang causing Amaterasu to whimper frantically.

"You don't understand, we have to go back and help Waka!" She shouted, trying to reason with the guards. "You don't know what she's going to do to him! We have to stop her!"

"Oh, we know what she's gonna do," A guard replied dumbly.

A slightly brighter looking guard tightened his hold around the wolf's neck. "The princess' word is law. If she wants to hurt that man, then she absolutely can. So long as he's not killed, she can't be punished."

"That's insane!" Issun roared, wiggling in his tight hold. "And easy on the arms! I'm frailer than I look!"

They slugged through the main entryway and down the hall of the East Wing, nearing the room where the two were staying. A third guard grunted, shifting Ammy's legs in his thick hands.

"It is insane. But it's the law." Weirdly, this man looked somewhat sympathetic. "I'm sorry if she hurts your friend."

The door to their room burst open and they were tossed inside, landing haphazardly on the floor. Amaterasu's heavy body knocked over an end table, shattering its glass surface along with a lamp that had once stood atop it. As soon as she got to her feet the door was shut, the lock clicking into place. She ran up immediately, scratching at the wood.

"Let us out of here!" She shouted. "Please, let us go!"

Another unfamiliar voice, but clearly a guard. "We hate to do it, but we value our lives more than yours. Good luck, wolfy."

Pounding footsteps faded from the hallways as the crowd left, abandoning the wolf and Poncle in their room. Issun shakily lifted himself from where he'd become wedged in the couch, grumbling testily.

"That stupid wench. She's nuts," He muttered. "And we have to go to all this illegal trouble to save Waka? I guess we can't really leave him behind. I mean, he's helped us a fair bit, but…ugh, this is so annoying! I thought we were taking a break from all the crazy shit!"

"Me too. This is awful," She agreed, sprawling on the floor beside the bed. "What do we do? We can't get out of here. Power Slash won't open this door, and I haven't got anything else. Inferno is too big to use, and it'd probably just ignite the room and kill us."

"Cherry Bombs?" Issun suggested.

Amaterasu sighed. "Same problem. We can't get far enough away, especially with all this stuff in the room that might get blown into us. And besides, I think these doors are a little too well made for that level of explosives. There's just nothing we can do right now."

A long, tense pause followed her words. Issun shifted, glancing over at the frustrated god on the ground. He coughed lightly, trying to think of something to say.

"So what do you think she'll do with him?" He asked.

The wolf snarled softly. "Touch him. Defile him. Maybe even rape him." Her words were harsh and cold. "Then she'll drug him until he's a mindless doll and keep him captive so she can just do it again. It's disgusting."

Issun stared at her for a moment. "You're rather protective of Waka, aren't you?"

"Why do you ask?" Ammy raised an eyebrow.

The Poncle shrugged. "Well, you seemed regretful and worried the whole time we were bringing him to this palace. And you kept asking what would be done with him and where he was going. Call me crazy, but I'd say you care about him."

Amaterasu heaved an exasperated sigh, and was surprised to feel her face heating up a bit. "He is my only tie to my life back on the Celestial Plain, and he relates to me through our similar worries and difficulties in our supernatural lives. And he's my friend. This whole thing is repulsive as it is, but because it's someone close to me…"

Feeling remorse at having talked her into all of this, Issun hopped over to her, gently petting her nose with his tiny hand. At his kind gesture, her whiskers twitched before she blew out a loud sneeze, knocking him into the floor. Issun coughed, struggling to his feet as he frantically wiped saliva out of his hair.

"Please tell me if you're gonna do that!" He snapped.

Ammy glanced up at him, nearly smirking. "Your hands are so tiny that they tickled my nose. It's your fault, not mine."

"What, you think I wanted you to sneeze on me?!" Issun adjusted his hat huffily, crossing his arms and leering up at her. "So first things first, tell me what we're gonna do to break Waka out of here. There's got to be something, anything we can do."

The wolf faltered, sighing. "I can't think of a thing."

Issun refused to allow her to give up. "Is there anyone we could call? Anything we could do to contact someone?"

"No windows," Ammy replied bluntly. "Can't get out. Who can we ask for help from?"

The Poncle thought hard, falling silent for a long moment. "One of the other paintbrush gods?"

"They already gave me all of their power. They exist within me." Ammy sighed. "If they're of no help now, they're of no help at all."

Issun grumbled. "Sakuya?"

The wolf shifted where she lay on the floor. "Can't leave her tree without another one of hers to teleport to. Gotta watch over the forest."

"Oki?"

"On another continent," was the exasperated reply. "Even if we were able to contact him, it'd be days before he got here. Waka could be on his involuntary honeymoon by then."

Issun plopped on his rear, crossing his arms testily. "Now that we break it down, it seems like Waka is clearly our most useful ally."

"Oh yeah. We could reach him just by shouting. He could break anything and kill anyone if he wanted to. He'd be perfect if he weren't the one we were trying to save."

At the god's weary response, Issun's eyes widened. "Wait, you've still got your telepathy from before you could talk, right? I mean, you were able to sort of talk to people through their minds, even from far away. Maybe there's some way you can get into Waka's brain and wake him up. If we shout to him it'll just alert all the guards, but what if you could 'think' to him what's going on?"

Amaterasu's ears perked, and she raised her head to look at the tiny creature. "You have a point. It's worth a shot."

"Well? Go on then!" The Poncle urged.

Ammy closed her eyes as she tightened her focus. She could feel herself drifting into a higher state of consciousness almost instantly. Sort of like falling asleep in that she was becoming detached from the normal world, but it left her far more alert. She could feel waves of sound in the air as they hit her ears. Footsteps down the hall from them, a bird fluttering outside a window two doors down, and even Issun's almost silent breathing on the other side of the room. She was relaxing into a Zen-like state, heightening her senses far beyond that of a normal creature, or even a standard god. Like this, she would be able to tap into the thoughts of anyone around her. She hadn't told Issun of this power just yet, for it had only developed recently and she didn't want him to constantly pester her to read the minds of attractive girls. Demonstrating it in front of him wouldn't be a problem though. To him, she just looked like she was resting.

"You got him?" He asked gingerly.

"Not yet, please be quiet," She blurted.

She tried to pilot her focus towards the room where Waka was being kept, shutting out any other sounds. The vast number of flowers that littered the room made it much easier to find than she'd expected. She couldn't actually see anything in this state, but the soft, musical sounds of the flowers breathing and drinking created quite a racket. It took a moment to pull herself away from the calming noise and start listening for the humans in the room. Much louder respiring could be heard towards the center, where Hitsukana and Waka rested. It was clear which person made what sound, though. Where Waka's breathing was soft and unconscious, Hitsukana was nearly panting with excitement and mirth. A twinge of disgust broke the wolf's focus before she shook it off. Knowing that she had no time to spare but sure what she found would be helpful, she tried tapping into the woman's mind first.

'C'mon, Princess…' She murmured in her thoughts. 'Open up, or I'll start huffing and puffing…'

Every other sound was shut out of her mind except for Hitsukana's sharp, unmeasured breathing. Amaterasu focused on her solely, listening as hard as she could. After a few tense moments of hearing no extra sound, a soft whisper met her ears.

'So cute…'

The sudden shock that hit the god was not enough to break her concentration, but it did startle her. She focused on the sound of Hitsukana's voice, waiting as it grew more and more audible. Soon it wasn't a whisper at all. It was as if the woman was standing right next to Ammy, telling her everything she was thinking.

'What a beautiful man…' Hitsukana mused dreamily. 'So warm and smooth, so elegant and lovely…oh, I'll bet his hair is so soft…'

There was a slight pause in her coherent thought – which was all Ammy could access so far – as she was most likely running her hands through Waka's silky golden hair. A delighted squeak, real and spoken, met the wolf's ears before the thoughts poured out to her once again.

'Like silk! I wonder how he keeps it so fine!' Even in her mind, she giggled. 'Oh, my beautiful Waka…you will make a perfect husband. You do all the things a husband should! You make me laugh, you look just divine…your body… is…fantastic…'

Suddenly, the exuberance in her mentality faltered, and Ammy felt a sharp chill go up her own spine. After listening for a moment, and further tapping into the girl's mind, things beyond simple sound were assaulting the god's senses. Emotion and even the vague beginnings of images were becoming clearer. A deep swell of lust, like a drop of ink tainting a glass of clear water, flooded Hitsukana's consciousness. The powerful nature of this abrupt feeling caused a burst in her thoughts, saturating them with ideas and fantasies. Amaterasu was seeing what this woman, driven by an impure desire for her captive, was picturing. Images of Waka tied up, thrashing, pinned back to a wall or on a bed, clothes and hair disheveled, eyes wide with fear, tears rolling down his flushed cheeks; he was cornered and helpless. Imaginary sounds started weaving their way into the fantasies, causing Amaterasu to cringe.

"Hey…Ammy? Ammy?" Issun looked over, worried at the strained expression on his friend's face. "Hey, you in there?"

The god was too far gone to even notice him. She was watching, horrified, the sick, twisted ideas that this woman had for her prisoner. Waka was backing away from the princess on a bed, his rapid, panicked breathing audible to the wolf. Another image of the prophet, bound by the wrists, collapsed on the stone floor of a dungeon, sobbing and choking on air and dirt. Another, Waka dizzy with artificial drugs, eyes unfocused and face red and warm, helpless but to lie back and let the princess touch him. More and more fantasies filled Amaterasu's mind, each more disturbing and unsettling than the last. She fought desperately to pull out of the woman's consciousness, but the strength of her thoughts was making it difficult to detach. Another image, Waka chained to a wall, his hair hanging in his dirty, tear-streaked face. Another, Waka choking and screaming as a whip tore across his back. Waka out cold on a bed, candles lit around him and a syringe full of sleep driven into his hip. Waka sobbing as he was pinned to a stone wall, sharp teeth digging into his neck. She heard the loud, painful, broken scream of the man as a knife was dragged along his flesh, showering the ground with blood and tears as he –

"Aaahh!"

Amaterasu jumped from where she sat, knocking over another table and shattering an elegant sculpture of a bird. A loud thump was swallowed up by the cramped room as she hit the ground. She lay among the shards of metal and glass, panting heavily and whimpering without thought.

"Ammy!" Issun dashed over, running up to look into her wide, fearful eyes. "Hey, are you okay? What the hell happened in there?!"

The wolf did not look at him, her eyes staring straight ahead as she trembled slightly. "I…I went…into Hitsukana's mind."

"Into her mind?" Though shocked, the Poncle had the decency to refrain from prodding for now. He crossed his arms, not unsympathetically, and gave her a worried look. "Is it crazy in there? What did you see?"

Amaterasu struggled to sit up, shaking, her legs refusing to hold her weight until she dug her claws into the carpet. Once stable, she replied uneasily, "Issun, we can't let her keep Waka any longer than necessary. She…she's insane. She'll torture him! We just…we can't…"

"Calm down, buddy," Issun murmured, rubbing her paw. "What do you mean she'll torture him? Does she want to kill him? Is that why she captured him?"

"No, she…she's just sick. She's some sort of crazy sadist." Ammy was growling unconsciously, her eyes locked on an empty part of the nearby ground. "She wants to tie him up and whip him, and drug him, and cut his skin. She wants to see him scream and cry until she's broken him completely. I saw…terrible things…the sounds…it…was…"

Issun did not blame the god a bit when she slumped to the ground, pressed her chin down, and covered her nose with her paws. He pat her snowy flank, hoping not to see her break down crying. Ammy was a very strong-willed sort of creature, but something like that could upset anyone. And hearing Waka, her cheerful, almost annoyingly exuberant friend, sobbing and screaming in agony probably shook her very deeply. The Poncle sighed, disgruntled but willing to console his companion.

**Short chapter, my apologies.**

**Either way though, I plan on getting more done in the future. I'm juggling a bunch of fics at once and I have a short attention span, so please bear with me. ^^;**

**I love you, all my readers! *throws candy for you***


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